TriStar & LoYAC Blood Ride
A RUSH TO SAVE IN THE ROAR OF ENGINES
A number of bikers and biking clubs in Kuwait participated in a “Blood Ride” which was organized by TriStar Motorcycles and LoYAC last weekend with the support of Boulevard Mall and the Central Blood Bank and the sponsorship of Al-Ahli Bank.
ABlood Ride organised by TriStar Motorcycles and LoYAC was held earlier this month with robust participation from various bikers and biking clubs in Kuwait. The event was sponsored by Al Ahli Bank and supported by the Boulevard Mall and the Central Blood Bank.
The blood donation event has become a steady fixture in the riding calendar of Kuwait, bringing together the community of bikers for a noble cause. Bikers of TriStar affiliated groups of Kuwait BMW Motorcycle Club, Ducati Club, and Motolady Club gathered at LoYAC headquarters in Al Qibliya School, where they were joined by members of several other active motorcycling clubs in Kuwait, before proceeding to the Boulevard in a striking convoy for the all-day blood donation event.
Jafar Behbehani, Proprietor of TriStar Motorcycles and President of the Kuwait BMW Motorcycle Club and Kuwait Ducati Club, shared that the community of bikers continue to come out in support of the event each year in order to use the opportunity to not only reach out to those in need but also refute negative stereotypes held by the public about bike riders.
“This is the eleventh blood donation event for TriStar and its affiliated groups, and 6th held in cooperation with LoYAC. Through this annual
event, we hope to impress upon the community that the bikers who share the roads with them today aren’t thrill-seekers but productive members of society. Among the community of Kuwait’s bikers you will find both young and old; sons, fathers and grandfathers like myself, as well as daughters and mothers.”
He pointed out that while motorcycling in Kuwait was regarded as an expensive hobby previously, today it is becoming a means of conveyance preferred by many. “With Kuwait’s growing traffic woes, motorbikes are more effective, less space consuming and enable you to get to your destination quickly.”
He noted that bikers are more exposed to the dangers of the road as compared to other drivers and urged them to respect the law and esteem their own safety while imploring car drivers to be more vigilant and look out for the bike riders, “Don’t consider them as hooligans on the road, but as an important member of society whose blood might one day save the life of someone dear to you.”
Behbehani describes just how exponentially motorcycling has revved up in Kuwait over the years, “In my own personal experience, about 30 years ago, I was riding in a two person group. Over time, we became a group of seven and eight members, then 15 and 20. Today, I can easily gather 2,000 people on a ride.”
He reiterated that motorcycling has been steadily gaining ground in the country among its different echelons, “Today, people see riding as a means of expressing themselves and it has expanded exponentially in Kuwait. Laws and regulations have been put in place for safety now, and there is a greater availability of motorcycles and all associated gear. I converted my passion into a business but my passion for riding has not dimmed. I am still riding after 70 years. Today, we see individuals from all strata of society engineers, doctors, lawyers, army generals, governors and ministers, riding. So we can no longer typecast a biker.”
Fetouh Al Dalali, Cofounder and Executive Board Member of LoYAC, thanked all the bikers and donors for their participation, “I’m very happy to see bikers return every year for this event along with several new faces. It shows the deep conviction they possess to give back to society. It is our humanity that makes life meaningful. Even if you don’t do anything in your life and just save one person, you have done well.”
She also expressed her gratitude to ABK for sponsoring the event and to the Boulevard Mall and Central Blood Bank for their continuing support.
She affirmed that the blood donation event is in keeping with LoYAC’s core values of love and peace, “Through this event, we give our students the chance to live out these values through their acts. Donating blood is an act of love and fills one with peace. Furthermore, it is the mission of LoYAC to empower and enlighten our youth to reach for global peace.”
Fawzy Al Thunayan, ABK’s General Manager, Board Affairs, affirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting events that contribute positively to Kuwaiti society. Emiranda Winter, Head of Corporate Communication at ABK also stated, “This is the third consecutive year that ABK has sponsored this event; we are very proud to be part of the blood ride and we take it very seriously. Our strategy for the year has been health and well being for the bank and we find that being able to give back to the community in this way and spend time together with the other bikers is a great opportunity for us.”
Riders who wished to donate their blood at the event were made to register with officials from the Central Blood Bank and undergo a screening process before their donation.The Central Blood Bank serves as the only central supplier of blood to all hospitals, government or private, in Kuwait. Continuous supply is needed to meet the needs of patients undergoing surgeries as well as those suffering from terminal diseases. The process for making a donation at the blood bank is a relatively simple registration and assessment method. The blood bank is open all days of the week, Sunday to Thursday from 7 am to 9 pm, Fridays from 1 pm to 7 pm and Saturdays from 7 am to 7 pm.